Why Daniel Ricciardo wanted to race in Formula 1 over NASCAR after ‘best in the world’ claim

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It looks as though the final chapter has been written in Daniel Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career after parting ways with the Red Bull family this season.

The 35-year-old was in with a chance of a promotion to partner Max Verstappen for 2025 but he couldn’t consistently discover his form of old.

Instead, Red Bull chose to promote Liam Lawson who replaced Ricciardo at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls after the Singapore Grand Prix.

He took the opportunity that the Aussie failed to and replaces Sergio Perez who had a terrible final campaign with the Austrian outfit.

It was harsh on Yuki Tsunoda who beat both of them over the last few seasons but the Japanese driver was clearly missing something that the team desired to earn a promotion.

Sources close to Ricciardo shared his F1 retirement decision as he considers that avenue closed for good now, but he could still field offers from teams for 2026 having failed to make an official announcement yet.

Daniel Ricciardo chose F1 over NASCAR to see if he could be ‘the best in the world’

Now that Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career is over, he’s going to have a few options on the table regarding his next move if he wants to keep racing.

He has already admitted that IndyCar scares him so a move there is unlikely, but that isn’t the only fast North American series.

The ‘Honey Badger’ has been a long-time admirer of NASCAR and a move there would generate a lot of interest. He’s still young for a stock car driver so that could work.

READ MORE: Helmut Marko wanted Liam Lawson to permanently replace Daniel Ricciardo after ‘harsh’ 2023 event

Speaking to Netflix’s Drive to Survive cameras in 2018 (Season one, Episode one) he mentioned how he loved NASCAR but chose F1 after having an aspiration to be the best.

“As a kid I loved motorbikes, I loved NASCAR,” he said. “But F1, that was the fastest-circuit car in the world. That’s really why I got into Formula 1. I wanted to try and see if I could be the best in the world.

“Picturing myself on the top step of an F1 podium – I had visualised that feeling since I was a kid. To be world champion would mean the world to me.”

How Daniel Ricciardo could return to Formula 1 in 2026

There’s one way that a Ricciardo return to Formula 1 would make sense with two openings at the new Cadillac team for 2026.

Searching for experience and a winning pedigree, the North American outfit could be the perfect home for the Aussie.

He loves the United States and the team will partially operate from there. He would also get the chance to rewrite the narrative about his career after a negative spell to close his career out.

READ MORE: Daniel Ricciardo once doubted Red Bull’s key partners who have now perfectly proved him wrong

Talk that Ricciardo would sign a Toyota deal was all rumours according to his family, which could have given him a route back to the sport with Haas too.

For any of these things to happen, he has to want it and it doesn’t seem like he’s sharing too much interest, taking time to enjoy life away from the paddock.

Notably, he was recently spotted cheering on close friend Josh Allen of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills as they played the Miami Dolphins in early November.